3 minute read
That may be, but International travel & jet setting, economy class, the flights don’t feel short. Straight into 2016 at full speed. We are just back from the outdoor retailer show in Salt Lake city Utah & heading out straight out again to ISPO Munich.
Only our second trade show in the USA & the dryrobeusa.com team has got off to a flying start.
Lets start by saying that this is a seriously big show. Huge halls filled with the latest in everything outdoor.
The dryrobe stand was positioned just in-between the ‘venture out’ zone, where the outdoor, cool ‘lifestyle’ brands all were & the huge main halls with oversize stands of the big established outdoor brands.
Venture Out – Outdoor Retailer 2016
It’s a trade show is open to trade buyers only. Four days of talking business, breathing air-conditioned air & standing up, doesn’t sound hard but, physically, it felt like an endurance test on the last day. Strange how things happen though. We have come away with some unbelievable projects to get started on & some very select US stockists.
One of the most exciting things came from a chance meeting, just chatting to fellow exhibitors (on one of the huge cool stands I just wanted to visit).
Another from a talk with a fellow Brit who know we were there & came to find us. (this is massive by the way) – Thank you Mark, so fun I can’t tell you.
Also meeting the OCR legend that is Margaret Schlachter (dirtinyourskirt.com)
& bumping into & spending time with some very interesting & influential people, including the founder of what is probably the biggest Obstacle course Race brand has to be mentioned too when talking highlights.
& bumping into & spending time with some very interesting & influential people, including the founder of what is probably the biggest Obstacle course Race brand has to be mentioned too when talking highlights.
So much more then just meeting retailers. It seems we are set to continue to work with some of the biggest & fun brands in the world. The people who I am meeting, behind the big front of these brands, are just people & it seems to be that the character of those brands is more than partly formed by the fact that the people are good people, living interesting lives, trying & working hard but making sure they having fun doing it.
I get the feeling that the contacts & friends we have made at the show are going to be lasting & fun.
2016 is definitely going to be interesting. Next stop Munich and ISPO,& The Cold Water Surf platform – ISPO (hall B5) – Hosted by Patagonia
Looking forward to seeing the Carve surf mag crew too. Bring it on!
Published on January 20, 2016